Inevitably Yours
by AllPurpleInk
Summary: Lauren says they should just be friends in the eyes of those who know them, but what happens when their secret becomes too much to hide?  LaurWalk, featuring Starkid.
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note:**__** Greetings! I'm continuing this story by popular demand, although it's not entirely planned out yet and I don't know what will come of it… Mostly, the good people of Tumblr seemed to enjoy the prologue that I'm posting now, and I like to entertain. So this is what you get. :)**_

_**This story was, like most of mine, originally drafted with my sister, so she gets half-credit.**_

_**And, just as a warning, it gets angsty later on. I respect the real-life versions of these characters completely, but for FICTIONAL drama's sake I'll be throwing some obstacles their way. **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** The events of this story are entirely fictional. The characters are loosely based off of their real-life namesakes, but I in no way expect or claim that anything in this story has/would ever happen in reality. Also, any Starkid plays/characters/songs mentioned belong entirely to them. **_

~Prologue~

Lauren relaxed back into the lawn chair, soaking up the sun as it blanketed the earth. To her right was a chatting Meredith, and although Lauren knew she probably should have been paying attention to what her friend was saying, her eyes had fallen shut behind her sunglasses. Enveloped in summer warmth with her thoughts beginning to wander, she was already dozing off.

Then she sensed a presence beside her. "Go away, Walker, we're busy," she said without so much as opening an eye. It was strange how well she had come to know everyone- she didn't even need vision to know who was beside her anymore.

"You look like you want to go swimming."

Lauren scoffed, trying hard to ignore how close Joe's mouth was to her ear and the way it made her stomach squirm. "Yeah, no thanks."

"Joey said I should throw you in the pool, but I figured you'd hate me if I did."

Finally, Lauren removed her sunglasses and opened her eyes, coming face-to-face with Joe. Her breath caught at the sight of his tiny smirk, at the striking blue eyes that held her gaze for longer than she normally would have permitted. Sensing a blush beginning to spread on her cheeks, she hastily turned away and slipped her sunglasses back on. "Yeah, right. Since when do we listen to Joey's ideas?"

"I heard that, Lopez! You're going in!"

Lauren gasped as the ground disappeared from underneath her and was suddenly replaced with cold water as Joey tossed her into the pool and then jumped in behind her with a loud splash. Lauren spluttered for a moment, coughing up a mouthful of water and fighting to keep her head above the surface as she was a bit too short to reach the bottom. Joey laughed, apparently amused by the icy glare she had aimed at him.

"Hey, Joey?" Meredith said calmly.

He turned to her. "Yeah?"

"Lauren's going to kill you."

"Oh." Joey's smile vanished abruptly, and he turned to face Lauren. She sighed and shook her head at him disappointedly, pausing only long enough to slap him upside the head before heaving herself out of the pool. "Ow!" Joey complained, rubbing at the place where she had hit him.

"You deserved it," she shot back, gesturing to her currently soaked shorts and tank top. "I look like a drenched rat! Plus I'm freezing now and I have nothing else to wear."

Joey shrugged nonchalantly. "You'll dry out eventually."

"Joey," Meredith piped-up again, her tone unchanged. "She's going to kill you."

To emphasize the point, Lauren glared at him until he gave up and disappeared under the water. She rolled her eyes and looked to Meredith. "I'll be right back," she said, and turned to walk into the house.

x.x.x

He found her in the kitchen a few minutes later, dressed in a hooded sweatshirt that he instantly recognized as Darren's. Her back was turned to him as she searched through cabinets for something, leaving him to stand quietly watching. He was fighting himself, knowing that he should drag his eyes away and make her aware of his presence. It was impossible, though, because all he could see was her simple beauty, and all he could think about was how nice it would have been to close the gap between them and kiss her.

He settled for walking up behind her and carefully tugging the sweatshirt over her head. She shivered as his fingers brushed her arms. A long moment passed, and then she turned around to face him. "Joe…"

"Darren's too short for you, anyway," he replied with a smile, slipping one of his own sweatshirts over her head. She practically drowned in it, but there was something about seeing her in his clothes that he just couldn't get enough of.

Lauren rolled her eyes, pushing the sleeves up so that her hands could escape at the ends. "Yeah, right," she replied. No one was too short for her, but she had gotten used to the jokes a long time ago. She turned back to the counter and, finally locating a glass, poured herself a drink.

"Joey and Darren keep strawberry-flavored _seltzer water_ in their house? Seriously?"

Lauren laughed, closing the refrigerator door and moving to sit on one of the barstools beside the counter. "I don't question it, I just go with it," she answered.

Joe smiled and hopped up to sit on the counter next to her. He looked at her for a moment, her hair still damp from the pool, her eyes bright, and her body enveloped in his sweatshirt. Maybe it was just his thoughts getting carried away, but he thought she looked perfect like this.

It was a curse not to be able to tell her that.

He settled for something a bit more subtle. "You look good in that," he said, lips twitching upward in a smile as he gave the loose material at her arm a playful little tug.

Lauren smiled back softly, making Joe's heart clench in a way he was sure couldn't be healthy. But then she took a deep breath and her expression changed to something sadder, more serious. More focused on reality. "It's just a hoodie, Joe," she said, and his heart sank.

But she was right, and he knew it. It was just a hoodie, just like what they had was just a fling. It wasn't a relationship, it was a secretive, friends-with-benefits situation based on strict rules and a lot of limitations. And as much as Joe wanted to respect Lauren's choice, he also couldn't ignore what he was feeling.

They were supposed to be best friends. That was what Lauren wanted everyone else to see, and Joe was willing to do whatever she asked. But maybe that was the problem.

Because he was in love with her.


	2. Chapter One

_**Author's Note:**__** I put this under the Starship category because it was the closest I could get to Starkid in general, but it will actually be more about the potential creation of AVPT. Thank you for the reviews; I'm glad you all like it! Also, just a warning, things get a bit more physical towards the end of this chapter. No smut or anything of the sort, though- that's not my style. ;) **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** The events of this story are entirely fictional. The characters are loosely based off of their real-life namesakes, but I in no way expect or claim that anything in this story has/would ever happen in reality. Also, any Starkid plays/characters/songs mentioned belong entirely to them. **_

~Chapter One~

"Brian, are you drunk? What the hell is Strip Bingo?"

Joe laughed under his breath, watching from the opposite side of the pool as Jaime tried to reason with an apparently tipsy Brian and Lauren looked on with an amused grin. The sun was setting, and he couldn't help but notice the way its light danced softly across her skin and caught the natural highlights in her hair.

He didn't even realize he was staring until a voice beside him snapped him back to reality. "You and Lauren?"

Joe felt his heart skip a beat in surprise and he averted his eyes quickly, his gaze coming to rest on Darren. "What? What are you talking about?" he shot back, mentally kicking himself for failing to act casual.

Darren smirked, giving him a knowing look. "Hey, how long have you and I been friends? You think I don't notice these things?" He paused, his gaze trailing back to where Joe's eyes had previously been fixated, and lowered his voice a bit. "I just wondered why you haven't told anyone yet."

Sighing heavily, Joe brought a hand to the back of his neck and thought for a moment. He knew what he had been getting himself into when this had first begun, and had kept up his end of the deal ever since. But, truthfully, he wanted someone to confide in, and who better than his best friend? "She doesn't want anyone to know," Joe admitted finally.

Darren looked at him, and it was like Joe could see him putting the pieces together in his head. His intuitiveness was a little hard to live up to sometimes- Joe was sure that he would never be able to see some things the way Darren did. That was okay, though, because sometimes the answers were simply beyond the both of them. "What's she afraid of?" he asked.

"We're just… we want to try things out first before it turns into some big public show, you know what I mean? Like, say the Starkid fans found out. That would be a lot of pressure, and Laur- I mean, we're not sure we want to actually commit to that sort of thing yet."

"And how long has this been going on, exactly?"

Joe sighed again, thinking back to that first night, the look in her eyes when she had asked him to kiss her, the feeling of holding her- really holding her- for the first time and just letting every word and every touch mean something genuine. For one night, there had been nothing to hide from or worry about. For one night, it had just been the two of them, and everything else had seemed insignificant. Then morning came, along with life and commitments and uncertainties. "About two weeks," Joe replied quietly.

Darren was silent, his eyes searching until realization suddenly dawned on his face. "You're in love with her."

Joe's eyes hardened. Why was it so easy for Darren to see what he was feeling? And if it was so obvious, why couldn't Lauren see it, as well? Or was she just ignoring it, not understanding how much it pained him to keep it hidden? "I don't want to talk about this anymore, okay? I'm… I'm going inside."

Darren didn't protest, but Joe could feel his eyes on him as he retreated to the house. The whole situation was screwed up to begin with- telling Darren everything would just make it more real, and he wasn't sure he knew how to handle that yet.

He found most of the others inside, gathered around the TV to watch some movie he didn't recognize. Meredith was sitting on the floor, so Joe plopped down next to her and stared blankly at the screen. Then his phone vibrated in his pocket.

Lauren.

_So, Jaime said she would hang out with me, but now she's ditching me for a date with the leftover Chinese food in her fridge. Fatty. :P_

Joe smiled down at his phone, typing out a quick message and sending it back. _**Yeah, like you wouldn't give up a date in exchange for food any day.**_

_Exactly why I don't date. I'm in a steady relationship at the moment. With cake._

Joe snorted out a laugh before realizing that everyone else in the room was completely silent. A few of them turned to give him slightly confused looks, eventually directing their attention back to the movie.

_Want to come over later?_

It was always like that- one minute their conversation would be light and friendly, just like always, and then suddenly they would slip into this new territory where everything was different. Nerves clenched in Joe's stomach and his mouth went dry as he stared at the text. He was still nowhere near accustomed to the feeling he got whenever Lauren made him an offer like this. _**Definitely. When?**_

_I'm heading out now. Follow me home in half an hour?_

Part of Joe's mind was screaming at him to tell her no. He was in deep enough as it was, and he didn't know if he would be able to keep up the charade if things went much further. Still, the prospect of at least being able to _show_ Lauren how he felt, if only for a little while, was a gift he couldn't pass up. _**I'll be there.**_

x.x.x

Lauren had never been one to let her feelings get carried away and out of control. She could be ridiculous, spontaneous, and dramatic, while occasionally choosing to keep more to herself and stay quiet. But there was something about this situation that made her feel different. With Joe, she didn't have the same amount of power over her emotions anymore, and it terrified her. Lauren didn't want to fall in love and deal with the complications of a relationship. She didn't want to lose her friends. Was it too much to ask for things to just stay the same?

She wished she had chosen to ignore her feelings, at the very least. The fact that she had asked Joe to kiss her in the first place still felt wrong. Not so much because she had initiated it or enjoyed it, but because it had led him to believe that she wanted something more. But that was something Lauren wasn't ready to face yet. She felt like such a coward.

And yet there she was, letting him into her apartment again, smiling a little because she knew what was coming and because it was a relief to finally not have to hide. "Hi," she said, sounding much more breathless than she'd intended.

Joe smiled back, sliding his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Hi," he echoed. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks as he looked at her.

Lauren couldn't think of anything to say. It was as if her mind had gone blank, and every thought was suddenly focused on need and want and impatience. She gave in, standing on her tiptoes and reaching up to press a quick kiss to Joe's lips.

Their eyes met, and it was like her heart was trying to break free from her chest. Her whole body felt far too warm, too full of adrenaline. _Ignore it,_ she told herself desperately. _You're making it worse. You're not ready for this yet. Tell him you don't want this anymore._

But the feeling of his lips on hers again was enough to melt her, and she forgot her argument in an instant. Lauren kissed him back fiercely, allowing all of her stress to break free in favor of the need to get closer, to feel something tangible. And Joe was there and she wanted him more than she could explain, for reasons she had yet to understand. Pulse racing, she knotted her arms around his neck and took a step back, pressing their bodies into the wall behind her.

"Lauren…" Joe's eyes were wide and surprised at the sudden intensity, his breath coming in short gasps.

She shook her head and pulled him close again, her eyes fluttering shut as his lips found her neck. "Please don't stop," she whispered, voice trembling slightly.

Joe pulled back abruptly to meet her eyes, holding her gaze steady for a long moment, like he was searching for something. "Are you sure?"

Lauren nodded quickly, wanting nothing more than to forget everything but the feel of Joe's touch and the sound of his voice and the taste of his lips. "I'm sure," she answered softly, moving to close the half-inch of space left between them. If reality was the only thing holding them apart in this moment, then _fine_. Screw reality. "I want you."


	3. Chapter Two

_**Author's Note:**__** Hi. So, I'm bringing this back by popular demand because I have a lame obsession with writing angsty, romantic things and making people excited enough to review. Seriously, your reviews have blown me away. I can't thank you enough for your kind words! :)**_

_**And I know this took forever to update. I still don't know exactly what I plan to do with this story, so no promises on the date of the next installment. I think I'm going to change some of my original plot outline. But I wrote this chapter and debated whether or not to post it for ages...**_

_**Then I just figured why the heck not?**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** The events of this story are entirely fictional. The characters are loosely based off of their real-life namesakes, but I in no way expect or claim that anything in this story has/would ever happen in reality. Also, any Starkid plays/characters/songs mentioned belong entirely to them. **_

~Chapter Two~

She loved to wake up wrapped in his arms. Safety, warmth, and familiarity encompassed her on mornings like these, and it felt like home. He filled that achingly lonely, empty space in her bed. He let her rest her head against his chest, right where she fit perfectly. This was the sort of tranquility she could drown in, slipping off into dreams and never, ever waking up. Never waking up…

"Shit."

Lauren bolted upright, staring at the clock beside her bed and trying to make sense of the numbers displayed there. _12:15._ How the hell had they slept so late?

"Damnit, the guys are gonna kill us," she grumbled exasperatedly, clambering to her feet and pulling on the first set of clothes she could find. Lauren nearly fell over in the haste to tie her shoe, and the loud smack of her hand against the wall as she caught herself startled Joe awake. He sat up, blinking the sleep from his eyes and looking around in mild confusion. Lauren dragged her eyes away quickly and forced herself not to stare, the blankets Joe had wrapped himself in fallen away to reveal the defined planes of his bare chest. She felt suddenly shy.

A moment later, she had walked into the bathroom and shut the door. She leaned back against it for a moment, trying to slow her breathing. _Calm down. Calm down. Stop over-thinking everything._

But as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, her mantra dissipated, leaving in its place only the sight of a girl she didn't recognize. The girl in the mirror was all flushed cheeks, bright eyes, messy hair, and still-swollen lips. She felt torn, her once self-assured personality broken down into pieces. Part of her knew where her heart belonged. Part of her didn't want to let it go there.

And part of her just wanted things to go back to the way they used to be.

Lauren gulped back the lump rising in her throat, turned on the sink, and splashed cold water on her face. This was no time to launch into an identity crisis. She was Lauren Lopez. In a few minutes, she would be Draco Malfoy, and her only worry would be remembering her lines and not tripping over Dylan's feet during the opening number again. No love life, no secrets, no sleep lost over reassessing her whole existence. And that was enough… wasn't it?

_But what if everyone knew the truth?_

"Lo?"

Lauren started violently at the sound of Joe's voice, her toothbrush flying from her hand and landing with a clatter against the sink. "I'm fine!" she called back, though her voice came out far too choked and high-pitched to sound convincing. "Just, uh… I'm just getting ready. We're really late for rehearsals."

Staring into the mirror, Lauren gave herself a wide-eyed look. Had she really just said _that_? After everything that had happened between them the night before?

_You emotionless bitch._ Lauren shook her head, dragging her eyes away from the mirror and forcing herself not to look back, not to think about it. Anything but to remember the man on the other side of the door. Anything but to remind herself that she was falling completely in love with her best friend, and didn't understand it in the slightest.

Anything but to admit the truth that she wasn't ready to face. Even if it meant numbness.

Lauren emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later to find Joe waiting for her, fully dressed and chewing on an apple he had snagged from the kitchen. "You okay?" he asked, the question settling in layers of meaning. There were a lot of things he could be referring to, and if the look in his eyes held any significance, Lauren was afraid to ask.

"Yeah, I'm great!" she replied, forcing a bright smile. Too many years of acting classes made doing so a little too easy. Maybe all those dance lessons would help with kicking herself in the face later?

Joe didn't look entirely convinced. Still, he nodded and made an effort to return her cheery smile. "Alright…" he started. "Well, I guess we should go-"

"Wait." Lauren interjected suddenly, another obstacle coming to mind out of the blue. If they both showed up this late, at the same time, wouldn't everyone realize…?

Joe quirked an eyebrow.

"I…" Lauren hesitated. "I don't know if we should…" _God, shut up. Whatever happened to putting on your big-girl pants and handling this relationship like an adult? What happened to being honest with your _best friend_?_

Realization dawned on Joe's face, and Lauren had to literally bite her tongue to avoid releasing the words that tumbled about in her mind. Something was holding her back… the fans, the commitment, the uncertainty of it all… surely a public relationship would only make things more difficult. But, still, there was Joe, and he looked so hurt and confused and she really just wanted her best friend back. She also really wanted to kiss him and tell him everything would be alright.

When had life become such a mess?

Lauren forced herself to meet Joe's eyes and speak calmly. She wanted him to figure it out. She wanted him to read between the lines.

She really wasn't sure if he would.

"I woke up late and texted you to let you know I was on my way," she explained carefully. "You forgot we were rehearsing today. My text reminded you."

Joe was too quiet. The whole room was too quiet. It was suffocating. Lauren's head started to spin. She had to get out... had to get some air… that would help…

"Okay?" she added in a small voice, the only thing she could manage.

Joe's eyes were distant, like he had a million things to say in response and couldn't figure out which words to use. He settled on, "Yeah."

_I love you,_ Lauren said silently. _I love you, I just can't…_

_ Don't lead him on. This is bad enough already._

Lauren nodded once and dropped her gaze. She turned, grabbed her car keys from the kitchen table, and walked to the door.

She left without another word.


	4. Chapter Three

**_Author's Note:_****_ Hey! So I reworked my plot a little, but I'm feeling more confident now that I know what I want to do with this story. Thank you for encouraging me to continue, and as always, thank you for your feedback. I hope you enjoy this next chapter as much as I do! :) _**

**_Disclaimer:_****_ The events of this story are entirely fictional. The characters are loosely based off of their real-life namesakes, but I in no way expect or claim that anything in this story has/would ever happen in reality. Also, any Starkid plays/characters/songs mentioned belong entirely to them. _**

~Chapter Three~

Time was wearing on Joe. Days passed, and he and Lauren would barely speak to one another. Then they would happen upon one of _those_ nights, when he thought that everything might, just maybe, work out for real. But, for each time that Lauren kissed him, she had an excuse to hide it from the rest of the world. And for every time that Joe reached for her hand in public, Lauren never hesitated to pull away. Granted, she would give him _that_ look, the one that gently reminded him why she was acting so cold. Joe knew she was sorry to be showing him multiple personalities. Still, Lauren always pulled away, and it never hurt any less.

Joe respected her wishes.

He also wanted to be so much more with her.

As time passed, Joe waited. He didn't know why he hadn't given Lauren an ultimatum; it would have been much simpler to tell her that he was in it for all or nothing. Maybe he was just relying on trust. Or hope. Nevertheless, Joe's instinct was that Lauren would eventually figure things out for herself. Then she would choose him, or she would decide they should just be friends again. And that would be the end of it.

Another week passed before Joe finally decided to take a risk.

"Okay, guys," Brian was saying as he attempted to direct Devin, Meredith, and Darren into a straight line. "What if we try to move a little faster at the end of the song and…"

Joe was the only one who noticed the way Lauren's face had progressively lost its color over the past hour. She looked tired, and had barely said a word throughout the entire rehearsal. Something wasn't right.

He walked to the side of the room where she had stationed herself. "Hey," Joe said, keeping his voice low enough to not draw any attention. "You feeling okay?"

Lauren hesitated, and then sighed. "No," she mumbled. "I'm freezing. And I'm completely exhausted. And I have this cough and my throat is killing me, and I just want to-" Joe plucked the script she was holding out of her hands, effectively cutting her off mid-sentence. ""Hey!" Lauren protested. "What are you doing?"

"Taking you home so you can rest," he answered simply. "You're sick."

Lauren's face fell as she tried and failed to come up with a reason to stay. "But I…"

Joe shook his head firmly. "Lo, I think it's time you sit back and give yourself a break for once."

Lauren pouted but said no more, instead allowing Joe to lead her over to where Julia and Jaime were practicing a scene together. The two immediately began to fuss over Lauren's apparent illness, scolding her for not telling them about it sooner. "Go home, honey," Julia insisted, reaching out to steady Lauren as she began to wobble on her feet a little. "Really. You look like you're about to pass out. Do you want me to drive you?"

"M'fine…" Lauren countered before precariously lowering herself into a nearby chair.

Joe sighed. He didn't care if his relationship with Lauren was all over the place at the moment; friend, girlfriend, whatever… he still cared about her well-being. He was also very much aware that Lauren had a tendency to pretend she never felt anything less than ideal, no matter how ill or upset she was.

He picked her up.

"Hey!" Lauren cried as Joe scooped her easily into his arms and held her above the ground. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing? I am perfectly capable of _sitting in a chair_, Joseph Walker!"

"You heard the boss's orders," Joe returned with a smirk. "Home. Bed rest. I'm getting you out of here even if you refuse to walk out on your own."

Jaime laughed. Lauren folded her arms over her chest and glared. Julia offered to help nurse her back to health, whether it involved force or not.

In the end, Julia and Jaime were needed to help rehearse a final scene, and Joe was the one to drive Lauren home. Too exhausted to put up much more of a fight about it, she allowed him to help her out of the car and up the stairs to her apartment, where she was soon settled comfortably on the couch with a glass of water and some cold medicine.

"Why are you doing this?" Lauren hesitated, glancing up at Joe for a second before focusing her attention on swallowing a few pills.

Joe didn't know what to make of her question, so he shrugged. "I wanted to help you feel better."

Lauren smiled sadly. "You'd make a really good boyfriend," she said quietly.

That hurt. It hurt _so_ badly because he was so close to getting exactly what he wanted and he still couldn't have it. The problem was that Lauren wasn't ready. So how was he ever supposed to show her that what they could be together was worth all the trouble she feared?

He had one idea. And he was going to have to take it.

"Yeah?" he asked, trying to keep his tone casual as he positioned himself to sit on the couch by her feet.

Lauren bit her lip and nodded once. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Lo? It's just us here. Can we talk about… about stuff?"

As the tears began to roll down her cheeks, Joe abruptly understood why Lauren had been trying so hard to not look at him. He moved quickly to hold her, taking her into his arms as if he could form some kind of shield and protect her from all of her worries, at least for a while.

"I'm such a bitch to you and you're still here," she mumbled into his chest, shoulders shaking as she cried. "I don't know why you p-put up with me."

Joe smiled in spite of himself and ran his fingers tenderly through her hair. "I'm here because I want to be. And I put up with you because you're worth it."

Lauren pulled back a bit to look up at him, and Joe couldn't fully comprehend how she could look so sick and innocent and strikingly beautiful all at once. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips, soft and considerate, every part of it filled to the brim with awe at the realization that _maybe she could be his someday_.

She kissed him back hesitantly before pulling away. "You'll get sick, too."

"No, I won't."

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Joe…"

With a sigh of defeat, he nodded and moved to put some space between them, settling on simply holding her hand. It was quiet for a moment. _Now or never._ "I want to be your boyfriend," he admitted quietly.

Silence. Lauren looked up at him and blinked in surprise. "You…" she started, paling slightly. "We c-can't. I… I can't…"

Panic. She was so lost within her fears that just the thought of facing them head-on was enough to send her into an anxiety attack. If Joe really wanted this to work, he was going to have to ease her into it.

He really, really hoped he could manage that.

"Hey," he said softly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You're okay. We're gonna work this thing out for the both of us sooner or later, right? Don't put so much pressure on yourself." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently. "I'll be here for you no matter what."

It was like trying to tame this remarkable wild animal. First, he was going to have to earn her trust. He couldn't keep on chasing her and hoping to succeed through that alone. For once, Joe was certain of one thing, and he had a feeling that it might be his only chance at ever being with Lauren for real.

She would have to come to him. And he was going to have to make sure that doing so was the one thing she truly wanted more than anything else.

Joe was going to have to be everything she had ever wanted.


	5. Chapter Four

_**Author's Note:**__** I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS WITH THIS STORY. WE HAVE A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP. Also serious WIP problems and all that. **_

_**Disclaimer:**__** The events of this story are entirely fictional. The characters are loosely based off of their real-life namesakes, but I in no way expect or claim that anything in this story has/would ever happen in reality. Also, any Starkid plays/characters/songs mentioned belong entirely to them. **_

~Chapter Four~

_ There was that awesome feeling that came with performing, the one that coincided with walking onstage to the sound of screaming fans, with hearing them sing your own lyrics back to you. And besides that, there was the excitement of being on tour, of meeting new people and visiting so many unique places._

_ It was the last night of the S.P.A.C.E. Tour, and- despite the fact that everyone was worn out and ready to finally go back home- it was a celebration. Joe followed the others offstage after their encore. Before he knew what was happening he was swept into a group hug, which mostly consisted of Julia throwing confetti and much confusion over whose hand was touching whose butt. _

_ Eventually, the excitement died down a bit and some of the group ventured outside to greet the fans. Joe saw Meredith leaving and turned to follow, but something held him back. Literally._

_ He glanced over his shoulder to see Lauren pulling at the back of his shirt, a mischievous smirk on her face. "Heyyy," she sang._

_ Joe smiled back, confused and intrigued. He'd been getting a weird vibe from Lauren lately, one which- up until just recently- he had been unable to pinpoint. It had caught him off-guard at first because they were such good friends and he had thought that he understood their relationship perfectly. Sure, he'd had his secret feelings for her… but those had been pushed aside long ago. The one thing he had never dared hope for was this new development._

_ She abandoned her hold on him in favor of gesturing for him to follow in the opposite direction. There was a plan forming in her mind- Joe could see it. And maybe it was the thrill of their last show, or maybe it was just inevitable that it would happen sooner or later._

_ He followed Lauren through the backstage area and up a flight of stairs. A door at the end of the hall led outside to the fire escape, where they found themselves standing moments later. It was a cold night, but the sight of the city stretching on forever in front of them was worth the chill. The lights were incredible, endlessly spectacular._

_ Joe turned to Lauren, then, uncertain. "So, what's this all about?" he asked, glancing out to the skyline again and then back to meet her eyes._

_ Lauren smiled and shrugged half-heartedly. "Did you have fun tonight?"_

_ He nodded, searching her expression. She seemed to be going somewhere with all this and, though it probably had a lot to do with the lingering adrenaline rush they all seemed to be feeling tonight, Joe couldn't help but hope…_

_ She took a small step closer, breathless, holding his gaze._

_ Well, shit._

_ "Joe…" Lauren hesitated. Despite her confidence just moments ago, she seemed to be having some trouble articulating whatever it was she wanted to say. "I… I was wondering if…"_

_ He felt dizzy, drunk off her eyes and her voice and everything about her in that moment. He opened his mouth to answer- but he didn't know what his answer was supposed to be- and the words poured out before he could stop them. "Lo, wait. Are we friends? Or what? I mean, I know we are. But I… I want more than that. I mean, if you do. I mean-"_

_ "Hey," Lauren interjected softly, her expression guarded in a way Joe didn't understand. But her eyes were searching and honest, and she held his gaze and said, "Just kiss me?"_

_ And that was when Joe knew he really had no chance left._

_ He'd fallen. He'd fallen harder than he ever thought possible. _

x.x.x

She woke up slowly, her muscles aching and her senses noticeably dulled. But even with the little army of tissues scattered about and the knowledge that her cold certainly wasn't gone yet, Lauren felt more relaxed than she had for days. She was warm and comfortable and well-rested.

A note resting on the coffee table caught her eye.

_** Leaving you in Julia's hands. Good luck sleeping that cold away. **_

_**-Joe**_

Lauren couldn't help but smile. He really did care about her, even if it got complicated sometimes. She owed him a thank-you.

A barely-there noise made Lauren look up to where Julia was tiptoeing around the apartment. "Hi."

Julia startled. "Crap. Did I wake you up? I was trying to be quiet…"

"Yeah, I noticed," Lauren answered with a laugh. "And I was already awake."

"Oh. Do you feel any better?" Julia asked, walking closer, grabbing a waste basket, and beginning to clean up the previous night's Kleenex massacre.

Lauren shrugged. "A little. Did Joe stay long?"

Julia paused, giving her a knowing look.

"What?" Lauren frowned. She hadn't told Julia anything about their… situation, whatever it was. Maybe it really was that obvious. "I was just asking."

"He left a little while after I showed up to check on you." Another look.

"Why are you giving me that face?"

Julia rolled her eyes, chucking the last tissue into the trash. "Because he has a serious thing for you and I know you've been trying to ignore it but I really don't think it's going away."

Okay, so apparently that part was obvious. Then again, Joe hadn't been as careful as Lauren when it came to hiding his feelings. "It's… complicated," Lauren offered, her eyes straying back to the note on the table.

Julia sat beside her, searching her face. "Do you like him like that?"

Ugh. Lauren had been keeping things to herself for a reason. If she couldn't even figure out how she felt, how was she supposed to explain it to anyone else? She could feel her face reddening under Julia's curious stare. "I… I'm not sure," she answered meekly, but the words didn't feel like the right ones.

"Hmm…" Julia's lips twitched into a grin. "You'd be cute together, though. I could ship it."

"Julia Albain."

"Sorry, sorry," Julia laughed. "I won't say it again."

"Thank you."

"Seriously, though." Julia got up and continued her restless tidying up of the room, stacking dirty dishes and straightening the DVD shelf. "You should give him a call. He was talking about going to visit family in Boston next weekend. Maybe you could go with him?"

"I can't just invite myself on someone else's trip," Lauren countered, ignoring the little hunch at the back of her mind that a weekend out of town might be the best thing imaginable right now.

"I think Joe would be pretty happy if you invited yourself to do _anything_ with him." Julia smirked, eyebrows dancing suggestively.

Lauren groaned and tugged her blankets up to hide her face. "Julia, I'm ill. Show some mercy. Also a glass of water would be nice."

"Bossy."

"Yay! Friendship!"

A sigh and a little more bickering later, Lauren found herself with a glass of water, cell phone in hand, waiting for Joe to answer her call.


End file.
